1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal cell carrying case that prevents liquid crystal cells from being damaged.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Demands for display devices have increased with development of information society. In particular, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have been most widely used as flat display devices because of their advantageous characteristics of thin profile, lightness, and low power consumption.
In general, an LCD device includes an LCD panel for displaying an image and a driver for supplying a driving signal to the LCD panel. In addition, the LCD panel includes first and second substrates attached to each other with a cell gap therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer formed in the cell gap. The first substrate or a thin film transistor array substrate includes a plurality of thin film transistors formed thereon, and the second substrate or a color filter substrate includes a black matrix layer, a color filter layer, and a common electrode formed thereon.
The array substrate and the color filter substrate generally are manufactured by a plurality of mask processes. For example, the array substrate can be manufactured using a 5, 6, 7 or 8-mask process. Recently, the array substrate can be manufactured according to a 4-mask process using a diffraction exposure process.
In particular, multiple array/color filter substrates can be simultaneously manufactured on one mother substrate. For instance, a first mother substrate may undergo mask processes to form a plurality of array substrates, and a second mother substrate may undergo different mask processes to form a plurality of color filter substrates. Then, the first and second mother substrates are bonded to each other and cut, thereby forming a plurality of bonded substrates. Then, a liquid crystal material is injected between each of the bonded substrates. Thereafter, a gate PCB and a data PCB are attached to a pad region of the bonded substrates. Thus, a plurality of liquid crystal panels are formed. The liquid crystal panels are also referred to “liquid crystal cells”.
In general, after being formed, the liquid crystal cells are moved and transferred to next processes. When transferring the liquid crystal cells, the stability must be maintained because the liquid crystals are already injected between the bonded substrates. Typically, the liquid crystal cells are loaded into a case and then transferred with the case.
FIG. 1 is a planar view illustrating an inside of a liquid crystal cell carrying case according to the related art. In FIG. 1, a liquid crystal cell carrying case 100 includes first and second cell fixing parts 101 and 102 along opposing sides of the carrying case 100. The liquid crystal cell carrying case 100 is made of a plastic material using an injection molding method
The first and second cell fixing parts 101 and 102 are detachably installed inside the carrying case 100 and they can be moved along the width of the carry case depending on sizes of the liquid crystal cells 110. For example, the first cell fixing part 101 can be separated from the carrying case 100 and then fit into a predetermined position of the carrying case 100, so that a gap between the first cell fixing part 101 and the second cell fixing part 102 corresponds to the width of the liquid crystal cells 110.
In addition, the first and second cell fixing parts 101 and 102 respectively include first and second support members 105a and 105b, and a plurality of coupling protrusions 103 are arranged at a constant interval along each of the first and second support members 105a and 105b. Thus, the liquid crystal cells 110 are coupled and fixed by the coupling protrusions 103. Further, side surfaces of each of the coupling protrusions 103 are inclined with respect to their extending direction.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the liquid crystal cell carrying case shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the first and second fixing parts 101 and 102 can be separated from the liquid crystal cell carrying case 100 and they can be moved along the width of the carry case depending on the sizes of the liquid crystal cells 110. In particular, the liquid crystal cells 110 are inserted into the coupling protrusions 103 (shown in FIG. 1), such that the gap between the liquid crystal cells 110 can be constantly maintained. In addition, a case cover 120 is coupled to the liquid crystal cell carrying case 100 by case coupling parts 130 that are at both sides of the liquid crystal cell carrying case 100.
However, since the liquid crystal cell carrying case according to the related art is made of a plastic material, which has a low melting temperature and is not elastic, the liquid crystal cell carrying case is easily melted or bent by heat and is easily damaged by external impacts. In particular, an external impact is transferred through the liquid crystal cell carrying case to the liquid crystal cells that are carried inside the case. Thus, if the external impact is strong, the liquid crystal cells are damaged. Also, since both sides of the coupling protrusions have the inclined side surfaces, an apparatus for placing the liquid crystal cells in parallel with each other is required.